Why Israel and Trump Should Be Cautious About Pakistani Troops in Gaza

Peloni:  Beware Greeks bearing gifts, or in this case, Pakistanis guarding Gaza.

by Anna Mahjar-Barducci  •  Gatestone Institute  •  December 31, 2025

UN peacekeepers from the Pakistani Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Photo by MONUSCO Photos – Ziralo, Province du Sud Kivu, RD Congo: Des casques bleus du contingent pakistanais sécurisent la base de la MONUSCO de Ziralo., CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikipeidia

• These examples demonstrate how freely Hamas operatives function within Pakistan. Allowing Pakistani troops into Gaza would therefore pose serious infiltration and counterintelligence risks. Unlike a genuinely neutral peacekeeping force, Pakistani soldiers may be unwilling — or ideologically disinclined — to confront Hamas. In a worst-case scenario, some elements could covertly assist Hamas fighters in evading disarmament.

• Pakistani media have reported that Islamabad does not wish to be perceived as a “B-team of the Israeli military focused solely on disarming Hamas.” Such statements underscore the likelihood of operational friction and divided loyalties on the ground.
• Another major risk involves intelligence leakage…. Reports have previously alleged ISI involvement in facilitating Hamas outreach across South Asia, including visits to Bangladesh and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to energize jihadist networks.
• For Israel, the implications are clear. A Pakistani role in Gaza could undermine efforts to dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure. In a mission intended to stabilize Gaza and dismantle Hamas, entrusting security to a state that openly legitimizes the terror group risks transforming the stabilization force into a Trojan horse for Hamas’s survival.

Israeli officials report that three countries have agreed to Washington’s request to participate in a postwar Gaza “International Stabilization Force” (ISF). The identities of all three have not been disclosed, though Indonesia may be one of them. Earlier reports also identified Pakistan as a possible contributor to the ISF.

Given the sensitivity of any postwar security arrangement in Gaza, the credibility and neutrality of participating forces are critical. A closer examination of Pakistan’s record raises serious concerns about whether it can play a constructive or impartial role in such a mission.

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